Last Man Off: A True Story of Disaster and Survival on the Antarctic Seas - Hardcover

Über die Autorin bzw. den Autor

Matt Lewis was born in Bristol, England, in 1974. He trained as a marine biologist first at Bangor University and then at Aberdeen University. He now lives with his wife and two children in Aberdeen. Last Man Off is Matt's first book.

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'A story that reminds us of the unforgiving nature of the sea and the courage that lies within the everyday heroes that have found themselves in hell'
Bear Grylls

I'm waist-deep in seawater one degree below zero. My legs are numb, my fingers are frigid, and I cling to the inflatable arch which supports the roof of the flooded life-raft.
In the dim amber light I can just make out a few shapes around me. Bubbles, our Captain, lies slumped in the water, his head supported by his lifejacket. He is barely alive, his chunky-knit jumper and tracksuit bottoms no match for the water, the hypothermia and the heart attack he suffered as we abandoned the boat.
Above us, the thin canvas canopy is our only shelter from the shrieking wind and the leviathan swells of the ocean. Every few minutes we are crushed by the crest of a breaking wave.
Beneath me, weak orbs of silver light glow up from the water. The fading bulbs are attached to lifejackets, which are attached to bodies. I can feel limbs and objects under my feet and knees and sense that they are not alive.
There is little human noise. Any talk of rescue has long died away, and those who were wailing have stopped. Each person has sunk into his own struggle to survive.

'A dramatic tale of survival in one of the most brutal situations on earth. Feels like reading the diary of a doomed man . . . so personal and chillingly real; totally takes you there in a way that is not always comfortable'
Steve Backshall

Aus dem Klappentext

In the depths of winter, hundreds of miles from land or rescue, a fishing boat fights for its life in swells as high as houses.

For Matt Lewis, a 23-year-old British marine biologist, it had been his dream first job. Working on the Antarctic seas alongside a toughened South African crew, he is mesmerised by daily life on board the boat.

Lewis watches with awe as a fishing line of 15,000 hooks is baited, discharged and retrieved each day to catch fearsome abyssal predators. Each fish, equipped with razor-sharp teeth and weighing up to 100kg, is hauled overboard by the crew with three-metre-long bamboo gaffs. He is equally dazzled by the glistening icebergs, towering waves, soaring albatross and majestic penguins and killer whales that surround the boat.

But when a massive storm engulfs the boat and she falters, Lewis's dream job turns into a nightmare. The Skipper refuses to act to save his ship, even when the crew are almost swept overboard and the hull begins to flood.

What follows is an astonishing story of human courage, folly and tragedy. When the boat's officers disappear, and the captain suffers a heart attack, Lewis rallies the crew to escape onto three life rafts, despite being one of the most inexperienced men aboard. He is the last man off the sinking ship and his actions will save numerous lives.

But the battle for survival has only just begun. With the light fading and snow falling, Lewis's raft begins to take on water in freezing conditions. No-one knows if rescue is on its way. Thirty-eight men set out. How many will return?

Last Man Off is an hour-by-hour true story of adventure, disaster and miraculous rescue. It will leave you fascinated, terrified and inspired.